World at Midday: Brian Katz & Martin van de Ven

The Collected Stories Project

Guitarist and pianist, Brian Katz along with clarinetist, Martin van de Ven perform fresh, vivid renditions of Klezmer classics.

Date: Thursday, October 9
Time: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Martin Family Lounge
Free Admission

Brian Katz is an internationally acclaimed guitarist, pianist, recording artist, improviser, composer, and music educator. As a performer and composer, he is noted for bringing classical and world music influences to modern jazz and various world music streams, and is highly regarded as a “free” music improviser, where he blends many of his influences into coherent musical statements.

A unique stylist, Martin van de Ven brings fire, elegance and humour to his performance of klezmer music with Beyond the Pale. His daring original compositions carve new musical territory, rooted in traditional folk styles but informed by Jazz, Classical, and New Music. A mainstay of the Canadian klezmer scene for well over a decade, Martin is a former member of the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band and is a frequent performer and instructor at klezmer music festivals around the world.